It was just as awesome at the middle school, where it was wonderful to add 7th and 8th graders into the mix with our 6th graders who have been there since March 8. I was there at drop-off and got to see many happy parents sending their children to class for the first time in a year. This has been a long time coming! Again, our teachers were ready for the day, smiling behind their masks, and once again learning to teach in a totally new structure, navigating everything from social distance requirements to supporting students in-person and online, simultaneously.
And all the while, our TK-5 AM/PM four days a week program has remained strong, and everyone now knows that routine. So as of today, we are back TK-12, for the first time since March 13, 2020.
Week of April 12
This week, the in-person days are just one period. When we come back from Spring Break, the secondary schedule expands to three periods a day, two days a week. We will learn so much in that week about passing periods, traffic flow, bathroom lines, and every other aspect of being more fully open. Please remember, if you travel outside the state, current DPH rules require you to isolate for 10 days. It is imperative that we follow these rules to keep our community healthy and safe.
Week of April 19
In addition to all of this, I am excited to announce that beginning on April 19, we will see all of our in-person opportunities expand.
At tonight’s board meeting, I look forward to sharing information regarding an agreement that we reached last night with our teachers' union. The agreement is fully in line with the new guidelines established by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and will greatly expand in-person learning opportunities for all students.
Beginning April 19, we will see our in-person students attending school five days a week at all school sites, and we will be expanding in-person instructional hours at all levels as well. I look forward to sharing details at tonight’s board meeting. This has been a long road to returning to in-person instruction, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for our Board and for every single employee who has helped us to get here.
It's going to take an extraordinary amount of work by our IT and Maintenance and Operations departments and so many others between now and April 19 to make this happen. Our teachers will once again be adapting to a new teaching environment. And all of us will be solving new problems, some of which we know, and some we have not even seen yet.
I am going to thank an extensive list of people at tonight's Board meeting. For now, thanks again to every single employee who has risen to the challenge. You have my gratitude and respect. And to all of our parents who have been supportive of our employees and their efforts, and who have done so much to support their own children's learning during this time, thank you. Once again, we continue to move forward.
I look forward to sharing the details at tonight's Board meeting. Thanks to all, and continue staying safe,